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Industry Veteran Ikan Corp Celebrates 10 Years

Industry veteran gear manufacturer Ikan recently announced its 10 year anniversary in this wild and ever changing field.

As someone used to keeping watch on what companies are coming up, going out of business, or anything in between, I’ve seen quite a few rising stars disappear before my eyes. Companies with great products and a good premise that maybe didn’t have enough marketing, or whose products weren’t that different from the thousand others of its kind.

So to hear about a company that has hit its 10 year anniversary is quite something. This is a turbulent industry, and the last several years have put it in uncertain waters time and time again. It’s an industry where you have to strike that balance between affordability and quality, likability and staying power.

Perhaps even more interesting is owner and founder Kan Yeung’s true American dream tale of how Ikan came to be. From migrating at 18 from Hong Kong to Texas with only “his guitar, a typewriter, $500 and visions of the American dream”, Yeung started a company that would lead to his opening of Ikan in 2005. You can see his full and storied journey in the release below.

So congratulations to Ikan for weathering this wild storm of an industry for a whopping 10 years, and we wish them all the luck possible for another great decade!

You can find out more about Ikan in the release below, as well as at IkanCorp.com

Ikan International: An American Success Story

HOUSTON, Texas, (Mar. 10, 2015) — When 18-year-old Kan Yeung came to Texas in 1973 from his home in Hong Kong, he brought only his guitar, a typewriter, $500 and visions of the American dream. Yeung is now celebrating his tenth year as CEO of Ikan International Corporation, and the realization of his dream is a true American success story.

Founded by Yeung in 2005, Houston, Texas-based Ikan Corp designs, manufactures and distributes a variety of award-winning products used in film, video and photographic production worldwide. Starting with the introduction of a single on-camera HD video monitor, the company has kept pace with the ever-accelerating technology curve and, in a number of instances, has been ahead of the curve.

Now, in addition to high-quality video monitors, Ikan Corp offers a full range of lighting equipment, camera support rigs, teleprompters, and accessories for both studio and field

production. Ikan products are sold through authorized dealers located in more than 50 countries around the world and at www.ikancorp.com.

Yeung’s first step in pursuit of his American dream was to study at the University of Houston. He worked his way through college and graduated in 1979 with a B.S. degree in both chemical engineering and computer science. After jobs with NASA, IBM and Brown & Root, Yeung struck out on his own and, in 1983, started MicroSearch, a company that specialized in softwaredevelopment and publishing.

Yeung’s early ventures with MicroSearch included assembling teams that broke ground in several areas, including the development of CityDesk, the first-ever desktop publishing software, video editing software for the Amiga computer, and the first ‘chroma key’ hardware for personal computers. As technology for film and video production evolved, MicroSearch adapted and is now an integrated media systems and solutions company that specializes in designing, building, consulting, training and supporting media production professionals and instructors in the Houston and Gulf Coast region.

With the continuing expansion of both Ikan Corp and MicroSearch, Yeung relocated company headquarters in the spring of 2014 to a remodeled 40,000 square-foot facility in southwest Houston and purchased an adjacent lot to allow for future growth.

Ikan Corp’s reputation is emblematic of the company’s mission to “build quality products that creative people want and need at a reasonable price.” And the company philosophy, as Yeung explains, “is to always put the customers first and take care of them — no matter the situation.” Industry professionals frequently praise Ikan products for being in tune with changing production techniques and technology.

Yeung doesn’t spend time reflecting on his accomplishments. His enthusiasm, vision and high-energy personality keep him looking ahead to the future and the next challenge.